Fear
by shellybee
Summary: Klaus Mikaelson thought he knew what fear was, but he didn't realize how wrong he was. When love comes crashing into his life, he welcomes the change. But when he thinks he may lose it all, Klaus discovers what true fear is. All Human. Klaus. Caroline. Klaroline.
1. Part I

**All Human. Klaus and Caroline pairing. Elijah makes an appearance. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Diaries. And the only money I make is from my retail job.**

* * *

** Fear**

* * *

Niklaus Mikaelson thought he'd experienced fear. When he was a young boy, he had suffered abuse from a violent father, only to be told on his fourteenth birthday that the man he called father did not help create him.

Once he'd grown up Klaus, as he liked to be called, took it upon himself to make sure others feared him. He made it so he lived by his own rules, ran his own Fortune 500 company, and others in the same business as him fought for second place and below.

As an adult, Klaus feared nothing and he liked it that way.

He had money, fame, family, and power. There was nothing else he needed. Or so he thought.

But one day a beautiful blonde came crashing, literally, into his life, and showed him all that he had been missing.

* * *

_It was a typical Friday night and Klaus was enjoying an after-work, weekend-here-I-come drink at the popular club P3. It was nearing midnight when he decided he'd drank enough and should probably head home so he could be functioning Saturday morning enough to pick up his brother Kol from the airport._

_He tipped the bartender who'd been quick and friendly all night, and turned to hop off the bar stool. As he did he was met with a face full of blonde hair as a very feminine body plowed into his. He could feel the contents of her glass spill down his front as his arms came to wrap around her. As she steadied in his arms, he was met by a pair of vibrant blue eyes that looked up at him in a mixture of gratitude and embarrassment._

_"I'm so sorry! These stupid heels broke and I _knew _they were a knock off because Christian Louboutin's _never _go for that cheap but damn it! I ruined your shirt and this is just the worst freakin' day ever! First Monica calls me in early and it's not like I come in late when I show up at six but no! I had to be there at five, so I show up only to get coffee spilled on me and…" her eyes darted back to meet his amused gaze and her hands lowered from the air where she had been exaggerating her frustration with movements. "Oh God, now I'm rambling, I'm always rambling. And that stain is going to set, let me get my purse! I should have one of those Tide-To-Go pens!" She quickly turned from his arms only to stumble once again over the forgotten broken heel. Klaus noticed the heels were quite tall, which made her match his height, but only made her walking with a broken heel impossible. As she fell back he caught her once again in his arms, not disliking the feel of her feminine curves against his body._

_"It's quite alright love, no blood, no foul right?"_

_The blonde tilted her head back with a smile and thanked him once again. He righted her body again and she leant down to remove the broken, apparently knock-offs. "I really do owe you, though, I think you saved my life…twice!"_

_"Well it is my duty as a gentleman to save the lives of damsels in distress."_

_"Well then I should let you get back to your damsel." Klaus just smirked at the blonde._

_"I don't have one, sweetheart."_

* * *

The rest was history. The blonde, Caroline as he came to know, had captured his attention from that moment on. They had talked until the club closed and he had helped her to her car. He'd made the argument she couldn't walk across the dirty, glass-ridden parking lot with bare feet; in reality, he'd really just wanted to spend a few more moments with her.

Caroline was brilliant and beautiful and charming and, dare he say adorable? Even after he'd mentioned his name and that he ran his own company, he was pleasantly surprised when no flash of recognition crossed her eyes. Most of the time, women picked up instantly on who he was and recognized his wealth, which was always a turnoff to him and he'd only spend enough time with them to get what he wanted.

However, Caroline was unlike any other girl. He didn't see himself wanting to draw her in to scratch an itch, and he genuinely listened when she talked. He found himself wanting to learn everything he could about her- her hopes, her dreams. He wanted to know her.

It was after a few weeks of texting that he finally got her to agree to a first date.

* * *

_He arrived to the restaurant first, and waited at the table. He'd found it peculiar that she had agreed to go out only if they could meet. She said it was easier because of her job, but he felt that wasn't the only reason. Regardless, he could agree to that term if it meant he got to see her again in person._

_She came in, looking gorgeous in a lacy, black dress, and he felt her smile ignite a warm feeling inside of him._

_After their orders had been taken, Klaus could tell she had something she wanted to say, but she was holding back. Her eyes would stare at him until she realized he was staring back and a blush would ignite across her pale skin and she would look away._

_"What is it, love? Do you not like Italian?" _

_"Why did you want to go out with me?" He frowned at her tone, quiet and almost subdued, nothing at all like what she had been at the club._

_"Because I fancy you, Caroline." It was true, he did. For the first time in his life, Klaus was after a girl for more than a fling._

_"But you're, you and I'm…me."_

_Understanding ignited in his mind. She knew who he was. "And here I thought you didn't know." His tone darkened slightly, because now his brain was sending warning signs. He didn't want to get involved with someone after money, it was one of the main reasons he had been single all this time. She had done well playing innocent before, he'd felt so sure she was different. It was only after he reigned in his anger that he realized she was speaking._

_"I mean, you're Klaus Mikaelson. _The _Klaus Mikaelson. How lame is it I didn't pick up on that before? I mean, it's not like there are a million people named Klaus. You must have laughed at me. I bet I really did the whole dumb blonde thing, didn't I? And you're like rich-like I don't even want to know how rich. I'm just a fashion writer in a struggling magazine. What could dating me possibly give you that you wouldn't already have? I guess I'm just confused. And now I'm rambling…again!" She sighed into her hands as they came up to hide her face in embarrassment._

_Klaus felt himself falling deeper in love with this girl as his fear became unwarranted. She wasn't like the other girls. She was as genuine as she seemed. He instantly felt bad for how quickly he'd almost turned on her. She was battling her own insecurities as he'd been feeling his. He realized she must be more insecure than he thought, and he gladly took on the challenge of soothing those worries._

_"Obviously you don't see yourself, love. You're beautiful on the outside, yes, but your light inside is so much greater. You're genuine. You're the most genuine beauty I've ever seen. You captivated me even as you threw your drink on me that first night, and I've been unable to get you out of my mind since then. I want to know _you, _Caroline."_

_She looked up at him with stunned eyes, for a moment too shocked for words. "That's…probably the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me."_

* * *

It took months of courting and wooing, but eventually they became an actual couple. Him asking her to make it official was the last step she needed to push aside the insecurities she'd been growing for years. As he'd come to learn, she had never been someone's first choice. She had grown up in a small town down south before moving up north to the infamous NYC. He'd become increasingly glad she had the courage to do so, especially after the dreaded "ex" talk.

_"Well, I really only ever had two boyfriends and both were when I was in school. In senior year of high school I dated Matt, but really he was still hung up on our friend Elena and so that didn't work out. But I can't blame him…he really did try to like me I think. I just…wasn't _her._ But I can say that we got to remain friends afterwards. I mean it was kind of awkward but we didn't walk away hating each other." Klaus fought to keep the anger he felt off his face. Firstly, he couldn't imagine anyone knowing Caroline and not being captivated by her light, and second, he was upset any fool would date her when not having genuine feelings for her. She was too good for that._

_"And what of the second?" Klaus had a sneaking suspicion that this second one would make him want to hit something-preferably Ex #2. He knew Caroline had headed many a committee in her time, been given the title of Miss Mystic Falls, and been captain of her cheerleading squad. And she had built this Matt person up too much, like she was trying to soften some blow._

_"Well, that one wasn't until college. So who was your high school sweetheart?" Her tone went a touch too high and he immediately picked up on the attempted deflection. It was something she was a fan of, and if you didn't know her well, you wouldn't notice it. You wouldn't see the tiny crinkle that formed between her brows. You wouldn't see the way she would move her fingers ever-so-slightly as if her body tried to reject her plans. You wouldn't hear that slight change in tone that made her voice go just a little too high from its normal pitch._

_"That's easy, love, I didn't have one. Now what were you saying about this college boy?" He leaned closer to her on the couch, drawing his fingers up and down her bare arm with the lightest of touches. The patterns drew goose bumps to rise on her skin and she shivered in delight at his touch._

_"Well-wait, what do you mean you didn't have one?" The effect of his ministrations was lost as she straightened herself to look him in the eye._

_"It's simple, love, I never dated anyone before. Every girl I've been intimate with was only around long enough to 'get the job done.'"_

_"So that's why you were okay with this talk. That's cheating!"_

_"On the contrary, sweetheart, you never asked if I had any exes to speak of." She "humphed" in frustration, now upset that she wouldn't hear of any of his past relationships. It was like pulling teeth to get him to actually open up about himself._

_"So then why did you agree to this?"_

_"Because I want to know about you, and the men I will be putting on my hit list." His tone was light, playful, but Caroline found it almost too light and too playful. In fact, she was sure by the look in his eyes that he wasn't happy._

_"So what were you saying about Ex #2?" Caroline sighed and looked away. She wasn't so sure about this anymore. She'd been sure they could swap stories back and forth and maybe then she wouldn't feel like such a loser._

_"Didn't any of the girls you…you know, didn't any make some sort of impression?" Klaus sighed in resignation, realizing that he wasn't exactly being fair and she had been forthcoming in her first relationship._

_"Not really, but there was one that I guess you could say, left her mark."_

_Caroline turned her body back around to face him and leaned back into the couch, draping her legs across his lap. He began to lazily stroke up and down her calf, his mind wandering back to the brunette who had managed to gain power over him._

_"Her name was Tatia, and there was something, very…seductive about her, addicting almost. You could tell her mind was always working, but you never knew what it was working towards. So I saw her quite a few times. We didn't date by any means, but after a few weeks, now rest assured I didn't love her, but I guess I fell into the routine and comfort of her, or the idea of her. Regardless, after a few weeks, I was meeting my elder brother Elijah, and he was going on and on about this girl he was infatuated with. All he could talk about was how much he had fallen for Tatia."_

_"What? You mean, she was seeing you both?" Klaus smirked at the look of disgust that crossed her features. His adorable little girlfriend even stuck her tongue out to show her dislike. _

_"Yes, she had starting seeing Elijah and learned that I was his brother and was looking to make some money, either but marrying him or selling the story."_

_"What a bitch!"_

_"Yes, well, she taught me a valuable lesson, and it eventually strengthened the bond between Elijah and I, so I'd almost argue it was worth it. But it did unsettle me that I had let someone like that get so close."_

_"I know the feeling." Klaus perked up at her quiet words. He looked at her, his hand stilling, as she met his gaze. She tried to smile as if all was well, but Klaus knew her well enough to know it was fake, and Ex #2 had really put her through the ringer. _

_"Tyler, he, well he seemed like a good guy. I mean, he gave me compliments, took me on dates, introduced me to all his friends. It was like he was happy to have me around. We dated for three years in college, I thought we were going to last, you know? But one day in senior year, I went to his dorm to surprise him and…I found him with one of the cheerleaders."_

_Anger surged through Klaus' veins, and he felt his face heat up in rage. "Oh, sweetheart, I'm sorry. But that wasn't you, love, that was an immature…dog, that didn't deserve you."_

_He felt his heart sink as Caroline laughed a broken, almost sob-like sound. "That's not what he said. He said if I'd just done what he wanted, then he wouldn't have had to get with other girls."_

_"What do you mean? What wouldn't you do?"_

_Caroline's sadness turned to confusion as she was pulled out of the memory. "He wanted to have sex. He thought it was stupid I wanted to wait. I mean, I told him it wasn't until marriage or anything, but I wanted it to be right, with someone special. I didn't want to be _that _girl that just gave it up because I guy wanted her to. I wanted to be worth more than that. I mean, Matt and I did things in high school, but he didn't pressure me to go farther than I wanted, but Tyler always tried to move further and then he just stopped trying."_

_"I guess it was good in the end though, right? Because that's not the kind of person I wanted that to happen with. When I found him with Hayley, I broke it off right then and there, he got mad, threw a glass at the wall, and I guess I saw the true Tyler, and that's not anyone I want to be with."_

_"You're right, love, he didn't deserve you, any part of you, but especially not…that."_

_"Well, now I'm glad it happened!" Klaus looked at her in shock._

_"Because now I got to meet you and I couldn't be happier with anyone else."_

_Klaus' inner ego was still jumping in glee at knowing no other man had gotten to take her. Klaus had never cared before if his lovers' were virgins or not, but learning this new fact about his Caroline had sent him into a lustful frenzy._

_And then a thought crossed his mind._

Was he special enough to deserve her? He decided he'd damn well try to be.

* * *

After months of dating, Klaus still had not gotten to see Caroline's home. This probably centered on the fact he loved to bring her home. He adored the way her face would light up as she entered his penthouse. And while she wasn't an art fanatic by any means, she enjoyed the artwork hung throughout his home. He'd never forget the look she had when he told her they were his.

_"_You _did these? Why are you in the technology business? You should be making art for a living! These are amazing! Have you been to these places or did you create them?"_

He'd spent the whole night telling her about his work, each and every piece. She was the only person, even including his family, who was that interested in his art. She'd even liked his darker pieces.

She was one-of-a-kind.

* * *

They had been discussing her moving in with him, they had been seeing each other exclusively for just over a year. But Caroline always held out, for she still held the fear that he would think she was after his money. He tried to persuade her otherwise, and pointed out several times that he didn't, nor would he ever, think that. Point two, _he _was asking _her _to move in. She had never once brought the subject up, but he found he wanted to see her before he fell asleep wake in the morning with her curled into him.

It was weird for Klaus to not have misgivings about her, but there was some light inside that drew him to her, and from their many conversations, Klaus knew Caroline wasn't the scheming type.

Klaus let it go for a while, but when he finally got to see where his light was staying, he once again tried to convince her to move to his penthouse.

* * *

_He had to park three blocks away from her apartment because all the closer spots were taken by old, run-down clunkers that looked like they shouldn't be running. Klaus was no mechanic but he was fairly certain none of them would pass an emissions test…ever._

_When he looked up at the building, Klaus had to double check the address she had texted him. This dingy worn brick building could not be the place that housed his Caroline. She was better than this shithole. But Klaus let it go because his sweetheart was sick and he was bringing her soup._

_He had been so excited for their supposed date, but she had texted him this morning while he was at work, saying she had gotten a stomach bug that was going around at work. So he had left work early and gotten some medicine, soup, crackers, tea, and ginger ale. She had texted him saying he didn't need to do anything, but he refused to sit by and let her suffer alone. _

_Eventually he had gotten her to give up her address and was surprised to see he had never been in that part of town before. _

_And now he knew why._

_Walking up dirty, worn stairs to the third floor, Klaus finally reached her door, the last on the right._

_The door was a pale, unattractive brown, with a gold-painted, metal 308 hanging haphazardly over a peephole._

_He knocked on the door, anxious to get inside and see his sick girlfriend._

_But his mind was already scheming ideas to get her to leave this dump and live with him, like the queen she was._

* * *

Luckily for Klaus, his persuading finally worked. Caroline had agreed that they should live together and she was moving in. Tonight.

Klaus made his way over to her apartment, glad she would no longer walk in the vermin-infested, rundown ramshackle place they deemed livable.

His stomach was rolling with waves of anticipation, and he paused at the top of the steps, shocked for a second at how different his life had become since she'd entered it.

And honestly? He wouldn't want it any other way. It was in that moment Klaus finally put a name to his feelings. He loved her. Klaus Mikaelson, millionaire, loved Caroline Forbes, a hard-working, beautiful woman.

Smiling, and with ideas of how to verbalize his feelings to his love, he turned and made his way to the end of the hall. He was making a mental note to call Elijah, ever the romantic, when something made him pause. Lost in his thoughts, Klaus didn't see the figure running from Caroline's apartment until said figure knocked him into a wall as he ran past, rushing down the stairs as if escaping a fire. Klaus jumped up from the floor and rushed inside, his heart sinking as different scenarios played out in his mind. Each one was grimmer than the previous.

The table and lamp that usually stood just inside the door was now knocked over, broken glass scattered across the floor.

Klaus rushed down the hall into the living room, where the love of his life lay on the shattered glass coffee table she had bought the previous week. Blood was pooling around her head on the rug, and Klaus dropped to his knees beside her. He pulled her limp form to his chest, clutching her to him as his right hand pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed 911.

After shouting into the phone for help, he set the phone down, whispering words into her ear and pressing kisses to the crown of her head. For the first time in years, Klaus felt tears streaming down his face, as he pleaded to gods he didn't believe in to save her. His right hand grabbed up her wrist and felt for a pulse. He allowed himself a moment of relief when he felt a weak, uneven thump beneath his fingertip.

But he didn't care because each beat was proof that there was hope, and in that moment he needed any kind of hope he could take.

_Take me, not her. I'll take her place, just let her be okay._

Klaus didn't care about his money, or fancy apartment, or the fact that his suit was being drenched in blood. He'd live on the streets without a penny for the rest of his life if only Caroline would open her eyes. He wanted, no, he _needed _her to be okay.

The ambulance eventually arrived and rushed the blonde from the room, Klaus following closely behind.

She was rushed into surgery, and hours later he was told there was evidence of bleeding in her brain. He didn't know what that meant, and the doctor had only said they'd do everything they could.

He called Elijah, mumbling something that he hoped was enough to let his brother know what was happening. For all the work he had done in his life, and all the emotional damage he had received, nothing had prepared him for this.

His pessimistic side spoke up in a quiet little hiss. It degraded him for allowing another woman to hold a power over him. But his logical side shut the voice down.

Caroline was worth it. Seeing her smile was worth it. Seeing her get excited about little things like his art work or a movie was worth it.

He just prayed he would get to see that smile again. He'd spend the rest of his existence making her smile if she would just pull through.

His phone buzzed in his pocket, the caller ID said it was Elijah calling him back.

"'Lijah?" Klaus cursed his voice as it cracked. It sounded just as broken as he felt.

_"Niklaus, I just got done talking with the airline, I'll be taking a red eye back to New York in twenty minutes, but it's still a seven hour flight. I won't be there until morning."_

"It's alright, they said she'd be in surgery the rest of the night, and that was if everything went well."

_"Well, if what you've told me about her is true, everything will be fine. She'll pull through."_

"Do you think so, 'Lijah?"

_"Yes, I would like to think God would not let someone like her go."_

"Can you say it again, Elijah, I need to hear it again."

_"She'll be fine, Niklaus, she's strong. Before you know it you will be together again and this will all be a memory. And I'm boarding now, I'll call youwhen I land."_

"Alright, and Elijah?"

_"Yes, brother?"_

"Thank you."

As he sat there through the night, Klaus realized he had never experienced true, petrifying fear. This, right now, waiting helplessly while the person he loved most in the world fought for life, was fear.

This panicked feeling inside his chest was fear.

The lump in his throat that formed when he thought of never seeing her again was fear.

The sting in the back of his eyes that burned when he thought he would never get to tell her he loved her was fear.

The fidgeting of his hands when he thought she'd never smile again was fear.

His helplessness was fear.

And if there was one thing Niklaus Mikaelson hated, it was fear.

* * *

**So I'm having the worst day ever and I woke up in such a happy mood and now I'm just a ball of disappointment and depression so I needed to get this out. Apparently inspiration hits when I'm depressed.**

**Anyway, let me know what you think, please!**

**This idea just kind of came to me. I was thinking about how much Klaus relies on power and being feared and I wondered what it would be like if he was powerless. But I wasn't quite up to writing about vampires so I thought a human version would work best.**

**I'm working on the next chapter to Fire Away, but I'm not sure when it will be done. **

**THANK YOU for taking the time to read this piece!**

**And a giant Joseph Morgan cookie to anyone who guesses where P3 came from.**


	2. Part II

**Fear- Part II**

**Warnings: mild language, hints/talk about adult situations that may be offensive or unsettling for some readers.**

**Reader Discretion is Advised.**

* * *

"Caroline, sweetheart, if you can hear me, I miss you. I really, really miss you. I need you to open your eyes, love. Just open your eyes and I'll be happy. You can even yell at me if you want, just…just please wake up." Klaus felt tears welling up in his eyes, so he clenched them shut, willing the unbearable pain in his chest to go away.

It was ten in the morning and Klaus had been up all night awaiting news on his beloved. Three hours ago a tired doctor had emerged to say the surgery was complete, but swelling in the brain had occurred when they tried to stop the bleeding and Caroline had slipped into a coma. They were unsure of how long she would stay that way, and there was a possibility she may never recover. Their hopes were the swelling would go down and she would reawaken, but they wouldn't know until they could do scans, which couldn't happen until the swelling went down.

All that was left now was waiting.

Klaus _hated _waiting. He wanted his Caroline to be curled up into bed with him as they watched television or talked about their day. Hell, he'd even watch a whole season of that wretched Bachelor show she loved so much. He'd even listen to her swoon over Sheen, Shane, Sean? Just so long as her eyes would open and he could hear her voice.

He'd even listen to her complain about that Tiara girl she hated on that show. Every week she would be an emotional rollercoaster, happy one minute, and then fiery rage the moment the brunette girl with the "sparkly" personality came into the scene. He would kill for that moment again.

He refused to believe this was the end. It was impossible. Even Hitler's reincarnation deserved better than this. And Klaus was almost positive he hadn't been Hitler in a past life.

But until his love returned to him, he would wait. He would stay by her side and wait. He had to be grateful for what he had right now. She was alive. She had survived the surgery. She had survived long enough to even make it to the hospital.

Yes, that's what Caroline always did. Focus on the positives. It was one of his favorite things about her.

_"Klaus, please don't be upset. It's not a big deal." Klaus just kept his hands gripped tight on the wheel. Their reservations had apparently never been made at the restaurant, even though he'd specifically told his secretary to call and confirm._

_It was Caroline's birthday and he wanted hers to be special. It was her first birthday she'd had since they had gotten together and he wanted to make every single one special._

_And now their night was ruined. To make matters worse, it was pouring outside with thunder and lightning making the night seem ominous._

_Every single plan Klaus had made for today had fallen through and he was feeling like the world's worst boyfriend and a complete failure. What kind of guy couldn't spoil his girlfriend on her birthday?_

_First he had been called in for an emergency at work, one of their clients had not received some paperwork and were subsequently upset, then the head of another company had shown up for some "appointment" that had never actually been made. _

_When he had finally returned home, he had given Caroline the diamond bracelet he had bought her, only to find out the jeweler had messed up the sizing and broken one of the links, so when he put it on Caroline's wrist, it had fallen off._

_Now their dinner had been ruined and Klaus was pretty sure he was lost in the wooded country of New York. They had had to venture outside the city for this particular venue, and the rain and storming winds had apparently set him off course._

_Damn it._

_And now Caroline was looking at him with pity, trying to comfort _him _on _her _birthday._

_What a disaster._

_"It's _not _fine. This is your birthday, and everything I planned to make it special has gone to hell. How does that make me look? How are you supposed to stay with someone who's a failure at such things? I didn't forget to pick up milk, I screwed up your _birthday, _Caroline."_

_"It _is _special, Klaus." Klaus hit the brakes at her quiet words. He was almost certain he hadn't heard correctly. Her head had been turned to the window when she had spoken, but now she was looking at him with a questioning gaze._

_"What did you say?"_

_And then she smiled her brilliant smile that had captivated him. Even in the darkened car with only the dashboard's lights illuminating her face, she was radiant. It was as if she carried her own light inside._

_"I said it is already special. It's the first one I've had with _you._ That in itself is special. And you cared. You actually tried to make plans and do something with me. Do you know how amazing that is?" Caroline laughed a small, broken laugh. "Klaus, my mom was sheriff. She basically worked every birthday and holiday. She might have remembered in the morning, but we never celebrated it. My dad did all that stuff, or at least he did the few years he was there. But then he walked out to start the life he always wanted. I never got any parties or gifts. The closest I ever got was Matt's cards. He was the only one sweet enough to even think about it. But you? You went above and beyond, and that's all that matters to me. I already love being with you. That's enough for me."_

_Klaus smiled at her, and felt a little bit better. But he still wanted to do something special. "Say, love? What's something that happens in those romance movies you love so much that you've never gotten to experience yourself?"_

_Caroline matched his smirk and looked outside at the depressing weather. "Well, I've never been kissed senseless in the rain before…"_

_And as their lips met and the rain soaked them both through their coats and formal wear, lightning lit up the sky and thunder applauded the couple all alone, lost in the backwoods of New York._

* * *

Klaus really hoped he didn't have to wait too long. When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.

Klaus looked at Caroline lying on the hospital bed, IVs and tubes running in and out of her body, and a machine breathing for her. Even her golden locks were hidden behind layers of gauzes wrapped around her head from the injury and subsequent surgeries. As he held her hand between his own, he realized there was bruising around her wrist, as if they had been held down in the struggle. Very disturbing and nightmarish theories began running through Klaus' mind.

This stranger on top of his girlfriend and holding her down as she struggled beneath him. His size too great for her petite body to overpower. Fear making her shocked into silence, and her feeble attempts at fighting back her only option.

Had she been hoping for him to walk in? Had she been trying to delay what was inevitable until he got there? Had he disappointed her by not coming to her rescue when she needed him most?

Oh, God. What if he had?

No.

No.

No, no, no, no, _no._

There was no way, there was no way such a thing could have happened to his sweet Caroline.

Jumping up, Klaus rushed from the room to the nurses' station. "I want to speak with the doctor."

The nurse on call knew the patient he was referring to, because she was the only one who had been brought into the ICU. She quickly paged the attending doctor who came through the metal doors minutes later.

"How can I help you, Mr…"

"Did he touch her?"

"I'm sorry, sir, but-"

The doctor was cut off as Klaus lunged at him and slammed the doctor against the wall, "I asked you a question and you will do well to answer it! Did. He. Violate. Her?"

"N-no, the rape kit came back negative, there were signs he tried, but was probably interrupted before he could do anything."

Klaus' grip loosened as security came rushing through the doors. They halted as the doctor subtly waved them off. He was aware of the stress the man in front of him might be under, and while he would admit he was scared at first, the boyfriend of his current patient hadn't truly harmed him.

"Are you sure? How do you know?" Klaus' eyes met the doctors, pleading for reassurance.

The doctor sighed, and against his normal policy responded in a hushed whisper, "There was some bruising on her upper thighs and on her arms. Along with what you reported we believe he pushed her back into the table and tried to hold her down. Once she began to lose consciousness from blood loss, he tried to violate her, but she still tried to fight, hence the bruising on the thighs, but then we suspect he heard you approaching and rushed out. So if anything, you saved her."

Klaus sighed and felt some of the tension exit his body in the form of carbon dioxide, a wave of fatigue rising in its place. "Thank God."

Klaus knew he could deal with whatever other consequences came from the attack, but the thought of _that _being his Caroline's first experience was too much. His love deserved to be worshipped and loved and for her first time to be everything she always dreamt it would be.

He couldn't stand the thought that she was lost in darkness, believing the would-be rapist had been successful.

Klaus turned from the doctor and re-entered Caroline's room. Because she was in a coma, she had a room to herself. So Klaus sat in isolation, the only company he had was his coma-stricken love and the constant beeping of the machines keeping her alive.

"I'm so sorry, love. I wanted last night to be special, sweetheart. I was going to tell you I love you. Do you hear me, Caroline? I'm in love with you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Come on, love…isn't that enough to make you wake up?" Her face blurred as salty tears formed in his eyes.

_Oh love, I need you._

It was really awful when you were upset and the one person who could ease your suffering was also the reason for your grief. The two had always been each other's antidote for depression.

_Klaus stormed from the elevator as it reached the floor of his penthouse. Clenching his keys in his hands until the gritty metal cut into the palms of his hands he paused as he rounded the corner and saw a certain blonde standing at his door._

_Immediately the anger at his incompetent employees vanished and his shoulders lifted as the stress disappeared. Who cares if that one file went missing? It'd turn up eventually…_

_His brightened mood diminished as he noticed his girlfriend's demeanor, arms crossed, hair tousled, white shirt stained with some liquid stain, and eyes blazing._

_"Did I forget a date, sweetheart?" He was almost positive they hadn't had any plans. Even with how busy and crazy work was, plans with her were always something he made a mental countdown for. Like a student waiting for the weekend. He would anxiously await the moment he would get to see her bright eyes, radiant smile, and bouncing blonde curls._

_"No! I just, I wanted to talk to someone and ugh! The nerve of that woman! I've had the absolute worst day ever!" _

_His confusion turned to concern and then amusement. His sweet Caroline was quiet sexy when she was pissed._

_Realizing no true harm had fallen on her, he smirked as he unlocked the door to his home and swept his arm in a gesture for her to enter._

_"I mean, I worked my ass off and was she grateful? No! Not even the slightest. She yelled! She yelled at me. And you want to know why? Because the font looked too small. The font! The freaking _font _ looked smaller. But was it? No! It was right, but she didn't yell that to the whole office! All they heard was that I was incompetent and _obviously _a natural blonde-umph"_

_Klaus had grabbed Caroline into his arms and smashed his lips to hers. She responded immediately to the kiss, wrapping her arms around him and forgetting exactly why she had been mad before._

* * *

Knocking on the door ripped Klaus from his memories. Turning his head to look, he saw his _slightly _disheveled-looking brother standing in the doorway. Of course the eldest brother still looked impeccable in one of his signature suits, but Klaus was sure he spied a little wrinkle in the pants, which Elijah _never _had.

He must have truly rushed here.

"How is she?" Klaus sighed and turned his gaze back to his sleeping beauty, "She made it through the surgery, but swelling occurred in the brain and she…slipped into a coma. They're not sure for how long."

"It may not be that serious, Niklaus. Sometimes patients come right out of them. Have you talked to her? I read an article once saying the family members talked constantly to their loved one and he came out of it within a few weeks."

"Yes, I've been talking to her. But I don't want to wait, Elijah. I want her with me now. I want her safe with me at my penthouse. I want to see her curled up next to me at night and wake up to find her next to me."

"Sounds like you care for her. I must say, she is a true beauty, even given the unfortunate circumstances. Caroline, isn't it?"

"Yes, doesn't it suit her? I always thought her name suited her, like if I had to picture what a Caroline might look like, I would picture someone as beautiful and full of light as she is."

"Well, regardless, I am happy to finally lay eyes on the girl who performed the impossible."

Klaus glared at his brother. "What are you going on about?"

"She made you love her. Do you not see the significance of that? I believe if world peace should be obtained it would have to be by her hand. I mean, anyone who could make _you _fall in love…well they must be quiet remarkable."

"Watch yourself, brother. My patience is nonexistent at the moment. And watch how you speak of her. She's _more _than remarkable. So much more."

"Well, well, well, look at what we have. Our favorite doesn't-believe-in-love-because-I'm-too-famous brother, sitting in a hospital room for a piece of tail," a new, very familiar voice sounded from behind Elijah.

Elijah grimaced at his youngest brother's lack of tact. "Kol, now is not the time-" The plastic chair Klaus had previously been occupying scraped across the floor as Klaus jumped up and stormed to Elijah.

Their youngest brother peeked around Elijah's shoulder and gaze his middle brother his most mischievous smirk. "Kol," came Klaus' growl.

"Oh, relax Nik, I was only joking." Looking past his brother to the figure on the bed, his gaze softened as he saw the bandaging and bruises.

"I'm sorry, Nik, Elijah failed to mention how serious it was."

"You never gave me the chance brother, you spent the entire ride here talking about yourself."

Kol rolled his eyes at his eldest brother. He'd been telling him he had extended his contract with Tampa Bay. He would be their starting centerfielder next season. It was a big deal after years of hard work to make it to the MLB. All three brothers were busy with their own lives, and didn't communicate much with each other. But in times of need, they all came running. They were still blood after all.

"What are you doing here, Kol? How did you even know?" Klaus asked, his anger fading and a lethargic, tired feeling taking over. He righted the chair to once again sit next to his beloved and fell into it as he snatched her hand back up.

"Funny thing it was, Nik, I happened to be bored, and called Elijah who then proceeded to tell me that he was catching a red eye to come visit you. Said someone you knew had been admitted. Curiosity caught me, and I caught my own flight and met him at the airport. So, who is this pretty little thing?"

"Watch it, Kol. Her name is Caroline."

"And what is she to you?" Kol was intrigued; he'd never seen his brother like this. It was really the only reason Kol had come. When Elijah had said Nik's girlfriend had been hurt and Nik needed them, Kol swore he felt his heart stop. Had his brother really fallen for someone? If he had, Kol needed to meet the angel, and thank her.

None of the siblings talked about their younger years. Their home life had been quite miserable, despite the façade they put on for the rest of society. But Kol couldn't complain, if anyone had been singled out by their alcoholic of a father, it was Nik. Even when Kol had purposefully done things to get into trouble, Nik was the one who got beat, so Kol tried to fade into the background.

_"Worthless! That's what you are, you little shit! Worthless!" A six-year-old Kol peeked around the corner and watched as their father backhanded Nik causing him to fall to the ground. Before the ten-year-old could get his bearings he was lifted back up by his hair and smacked again. Kol flinched with each hit, silently begging for Nik to just give in, apologize and cry. It would be over sooner._

_It was always the same. Something would set Mikael off, and he would begin to scream and rant at Nik. After smacking him around enough to break his spirit, Nik would give in and cry. Tears would set Mikael off again and he would get even more violent. Once he had tired himself out, he'd leave Nik in whatever state he'd been beaten into, forcing the child to nurse his own wounds._

_Kol felt his eyes sting as blood began to pour down Nik's nose. But Nik had been receiving this abuse for years, and it would take more than this to break him. But Kol didn't want to watch. He stepped around the corner into the hallway, directly behind a table that held an expensive-looking lamp. His tiny hand reached out and pushed the lamp, his heart stopping as he watched it fall and shatter onto the hardwood floor. Mikael whipped around and saw his youngest son standing there._

_Instead of seeing the love for a brother, he saw a traitor in Kol. He was determined to break that too. "Now look what you did, boy. You're ruining the rest of my children." Mikael glared at Kol, but his words were meant for Niklaus._

_Nik just looked up at his younger brother through swollen eyes, they widened in fear for his brother, afraid Mikael would target him. Nik was prepared to take the beatings, as long as the rest of his family was left unharmed._

_"Kol, back up." Mikael's voice left no room for argument._

_Seeing the larger man looming above him, Kol took a small step back. Then he watched as Mikael drug his brother over to the shattered lamp, and ground his face into the sharp pieces littering the floor._

_Kol couldn't watch and ran from the room. When some time had passed and he was sure his father had left, he went back out to find his brother. He found Nik perched on the sink in the bathroom, trying to remove the embedded pieces from his skin. With tears in his eyes, Kol stepped into the room and looked up at his brother. Nik noticed his presence, and smiled down at his baby brother. "It's alright, Kol. It'll be fine. Don't you worry."_

_But even in his young years Kol knew his brother _wasn't _alright._

_It was the last time he tried to interfere._

* * *

Kol shook his head to clear away the memory. Yes, there family had a dark past. But they each dealt with it in their own way. Elijah thrust himself into his work with international business law. Nik started his company and built his own empire. Kol had followed his passion of baseball and focused all his energy there. And their baby sister had been focusing on school and working on her fashion line. They weren't the perfect family, but the four siblings were close when it counted.

"Bekah's going to be cross she was left out," Kol pointed out. He didn't like serious silences, they unnerved him and forced him to think about things he'd rather not.

"I'll step out and call her." Elijah excused himself and left the room.

"So how did you two meet?" Kol smiled a little as Nik's face lit up and his eyes softened in adoration. He watched as his brother's gaze fell to the girl in the bed. He listened intently as Nik went on and on about Caroline Forbes.

After hearing story after story, Kol was convinced that the brother he thought could never love had finally found someone to warm his heart…and his bed.

Elijah returned and said that he left a message for Rebekah, for she hadn't answered her phone. So the three reunited brothers sat in silence. Each hoping the blonde would wake up.

"Does she have any family? Should we be trying to contact anyone?" Elijah asked after a while. Klaus' heart warmed a little as Elijah showed his allegiance. When they were younger, their relationship had strained. Elijah was six years older than Klaus, and so he hadn't been around much for the abuse. Mikael had never really raised a hand to him, because as the oldest, Elijah had always tried to please his father. Klaus resented his older brother for a long time for abandoning them. Klaus could have left too, but he refused to leave his baby brother and sister behind. He knew Mikael would turn his violence on them if he left, and as their older brother, he refused to stand by and allow that to happen to his younger siblings. He wished Elijah had felt the same.

Eventually they had reconciled, but Klaus still felt a slight distance from the person he had always idolized. As if he could never truly trust Elijah was on his side.

"A mother and father. But she doesn't speak with her father. I left a message for her mother, but she's a sheriff and spends many hours on the clock. The office said they'd let her know, but who knows?"

Both Kol and Elijah picked up on Klaus' tone of resentment when he spoke of Caroline's mother.

"Already at odds with her family, Nik?" Kol joked.

"No, I've never met the woman. I dislike people who hurt Caroline, and even though she'll never admit it, I know Caroline has been hurt by her workaholic attitude."

Kol and Elijah's eyes met. Elijah raised an eyebrow in a silent question to his youngest brother. Kol nodded slightly.

After a stint of silence, Kol walked to his brother and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"It's alright, Nik. It'll be fine. Don't you worry."

* * *

**Yay! We had lots of Charmed fans! Yes, the answer was Charmed, the first show I ever started following religiously. Hope you liked this second installment.**

**In case you haven't noticed, I'm not a doctor, so some of the medical stuff is probably wrong. But I do know head injuries are complex and unpredictable, and this is fanfiction so bear with me.**

**Let me know how you felt, what you thought, maybe what you want to see, or think will happen? I just like feedback. **

**New trivia: I put a quote in from one of my all-time favorite movies, can you guess which one? It's a few years older than me, but it's a classic with a very famous scene in a restaurant. **

**P.S. Only 1% of you reviewed after reading chapter one. Can we at least increase that to 1.5% or 2%? Even if it's just a smiley or a frowny face. Let me know how I'm doing! Did I make you laugh? Cry? Scream? Smile? Smirk? Grimace? Frown? Say WTF?**


	3. Part III

**Fear- Part III**

**Warnings: language, hints/talk about adult situations that may be offensive or unsettling for some readers.**

**Reader Discretion is Advised.**

* * *

_"Elijah, welcome home!" Elijah cringed as his father hugged him with exuberance. Mikael was only for public displays of affection when people were around. He hadn't wanted to come home for the holidays, but he had wanted to check in on his younger siblings._

_He was twenty years old and was almost done with college, but he already had a prestigious internship that took up most of his time._

_It was easy for him to lose himself in his work. He liked it. He welcomed the escape work gave him. But during the nights where he lay in bed, Elijah couldn't help but be plagued by thoughts of his younger siblings. He knew what his father did. But he also knew Kol and Rebekah had a protector in Klaus. Klaus could take care of them. He was strong._

_Elijah still didn't sleep well at night._

_"Where is everyone?" Elijah asked, because none of his siblings had emerged to greet him. Even though this was a Christmas party, it was more of an adult affair where colleagues could get drunk without judgment. _

_"Oh, your brother and sister are around here somewhere…"_

_It was half an hour later when the family photo was being taken, that Elijah realized Klaus was not in attendance. He turned to ask his mother, but with alcohol and some type of medication flowing through her system, she was useless._

_"Where is Niklaus?" The question caused his father to freeze, with forced smile still in place, "He's not here. He had other obligations."_

_Elijah finally got a ten-year-old Kol alone in a corner. "Kol, where is Niklaus?"_

_Kol's eyes filled with tears and his eyes darted up to the ceiling. A sinking feeling washed over Elijah. "Kol, where is he?"_

_Kol's lips trembled, "I can't tell. He'll get hurt."_

_"Kol, no one will know you told me."_

_"Yes, if I try to help, Nik gets hurt."_

_"Kol, please. I'm your big brother. It'll be okay."_

_Kol's only answer was to look up again. _

_Elijah got the message._

_Mikael was engaged with several colleagues when Elijah slipped away and snuck upstairs to the attic. It had once served as the maids' stockroom, and there was a small closet all the way in the back. Leaning up against the wall were the mops and brooms that had once resided in the enclosed space._

_Unlocking the door, Elijah opened it to reveal his fourteen-year-old brother, bloodied and beaten and crammed into the tiny, dark space._

_"Leave me, Elijah. You'll only make it worse." Niklaus wouldn't even look at his older brother._

_Elijah sighed, closed the door and left the house._

_He didn't come back the next Christmas._

* * *

"_I knew what she was feeling, even without hearing her voice in my head. Happiness, because she had finally gotten the one thing she had always wanted, the choice to decide her own fate. Anger, because she had lost the one person she had always trusted._" Klaus sighed and closed the book. Nothing was working. He'd been talking to her endlessly for days now, and he had decided to read her novel to her, hoping it would spark something. She had been rereading the book in preparation for the movie that was coming out. She even had a countdown on her refrigerator. It hurt his chest to know she still hadn't woken up. Dangerous thoughts constantly crept into his mind.

_What if she never wakes up?_

_What if she's gone for good?_

_What if she dies, never knowing how you feel?_

"You know, Niklaus, what you're doing is helping, do you not?" Elijah's quiet voice sounded from the doorway. Klaus had been so lost in his thoughts he hadn't heard his brother enter.

"If that's true then she should be waking up, Elijah! She _needs _to wake up!"

"She will, brother, you must stay strong. Have faith."

Klaus scoffed. "I don't believe in your God, Elijah, and I'm not strong enough to do this. I need her."

"Brother, she is progressing, the doctors have all said so. How can you not believe-"

"She has had only small blips on the scanner, Elijah! That's not good enough. She needs more brain activity! No, to hell with that, she needs to wake up!"

"She will. Has she ever not respected your wishes?"

And Klaus smiled, because there had never been a time where Caroline didn't please him.

* * *

_"Will you please make up your mind?" Klaus smirked even though Caroline couldn't see it through the phone. She'd been asking him for three weeks what his favorite cake was, because she wanted to be prepared for his birthday. But Klaus had never answered, constantly changing his mind from chocolate, to spice, to vanilla, really because he didn't care, but it was even better seeing how frustrated she got because "everything had to be perfect."_

_He loved his little control freak perfectionist._

_"You know what, love? I think I've decided." Klaus smirked again as he heard a sigh of relief from his sweetheart. "Great, so what is it?"_

_"I want pie."_

_He laughed out loud as he heard a click disconnecting the call._

_When he finally saw his girlfriend again, she gave him a stern lecture as to why pie was not acceptable for celebrating a birthday._

_"Ah, but love, I do believe you Americans have pie on the Fourth of July, don't you?"_

_Caroline's brow furrowed and she cocked her head, posture he found absolutely adorable on her. "Yeah, so? What's your point?"_

_"Is the Fourth of July not the celebration of America's birthday?"_

_He ducked as she threw a sock she had been folding at his head._

_The week leading up to his birthday Klaus had constantly texted Caroline, changing his mind from pie to cake and back again._

_He couldn't wait to see what she had decided on._

_On his birthday, he arrived to find Caroline had made him a cake._

_"Oh, so you decided to go against my wishes for pie and made me a cake?"_

_After she sang to him and he had blown out the candles, she cut the cake open… to reveal a pie inside._

_A pie._

_Inside his cake._

_His Caroline had made him a pie and cake._

_Because he hadn't told her what he wanted._

_When his mouth dropped open and he met her shining blue eyes, she just smiled at him and dabbed his nose with some frosting._

_"It's an inside surprise cake, silly. But instead of doing a design of different layered cakes, I put a pie inside."_

* * *

Elijah and Klaus were sat in silence, both lost in thought as they kept vigil over the sleeping blonde.

A knock on the door caused both men to start from their inner musings. A middle-aged man in a white lab coat stood there, a large file in his hands and a serious, no-nonsense heir about him.

"I'm looking for the next of kin for a-"the man paused to flip open the file and look at a name, "Miss Forbes?"

Klaus stood and stepped toward the man. "That's me."

"And your relation to her?"

Klaus paused. "I'm her boyfriend." _If this hadn't happened I'd be her fiancée, but I'll change that when she wakes up._

The man snorted. "No, I need the next of kin: parent, legal spouse, sibling, or grandparent. _Boyfriend _does not count. So I'll ask again. Where may I find her next of kin?"

"Listen to me you bloody-" Klaus started but was cut off by his older brother as a hand was placed on his shoulder and Elijah spoke up.

"Her mother is out of state and we have been unable to reach her, but perhaps you could let us know and we can relay the message-"

"No." The man cut off Elijah, whose eyes widened at the cold and rude behavior. "I will speak with the mother when she decides to show up." The man's eyes flicked to Caroline's body on the bed. "It's not like my patient is going anywhere."

Klaus made to throttle the bastard, but Elijah once again stopped him. "What do you mean your patient."

"I'm Dr. Laythen Conroy, Head of the Neuroscience Department and Expert in Persistent Vegetative State Patients. So you get her mother here, because she has some decisions to make."

* * *

Klaus stood in the hallway outside of Caroline's room, repetitively calling Liz Forbes. The arsehole doctor wouldn't tell him anything and had even kicked him out of Caroline's room stating that _his _patient needed to be left alone and that only family could visit during the listed visiting hours.

Resisting the urge to smash his phone into the wall after another failed attempt, he paused as his phone starting vibrating with an incoming call.

"Hello?"

"Klaus Mikaelson? I'm trying to reach Klaus Mikaelson." The voice was female and tired but also tinted with anger.

"This is he."

"This is Sheriff Forbes, you've been trying to reach me?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact I have. Your daughter has been in the hospital for weeks and you have made no move to come be by her side even though she _could possibly be dying!"_

"I-What? I thought, I knew she'd be okay. Caroline's always okay. She pulls through." The voice was reaching a hysteric desperation, which Klaus took to mean the woman was finally accepting the fact that she was a horrible mother.

"Well, regardless of what you believe, she's not okay. She's in a coma. And now the doctors won't tell me anything because I'm not you and we aren't married."

"I can't. There's-they need me at the station. Nobody can cover for me and we've been having brutal animal attacks that need dealt with."

"It's Caroline. She's your _daughter._"

* * *

"I'm still not comfortable with this arrangement, however, since Mrs. Forbes has waived her rights and gave you legal power of attorney, Mr. Mikaelson, you will now be responsible for Miss Forbes' future."

"And what exactly does that mean, mate?" Klaus and his brothers sat in an office across from Dr. Conroy.

"I have studied her brain scans and they aren't improving. The little blips you see are common for any brain that is still receiving oxygen. She is what we call a persistent vegetative state patient. She is only alive because the machines are on. But if we were to cease the support, she would be clinically dead. Your decision, Mr. Mikaelson is to pull the plug or not to pull the plug."

Kol stiffened at the man's abrasive and cold tone. _What happened to bedside manner?_

Even Elijah's eyes widened at the man's audacity.

"There is no decision. Those machines stay on until Caroline wakes up." Klaus' tone held no room for discussion, but the doctor proceeded anyway.

"Mr. Mikaelson, keeping someone alive is a large burden-both financially and emotionally. It is my opinion that you stop the pain now and begin to move on. This is a _delicate _situation that is best dealt with by making a clean break. I've watched families become financially drained holding on to notions there loved ones will one day wake up and be okay again. It never ends well."

"But, Dr. Conroy, there is always the chance she does wake up?" Elijah interjected.

The man sighed like he was tired of answering this question. He had answered it many times before.

"Medically speaking, yes. But in my twenty-five years of experience? No. I've seen less than one percent come out of that state and none of them have come back as even half the person they used to be."

"What do you mean?" Klaus' voice was soft, worried. He had never allowed himself to go down this road of thought. But here was this man, this expert, telling him his worst fears.

"I mean the best case I've seen was where the patient could sit up and drink by them self. No walking, no talking, no other kind of independence. They still needed a catheter and eating was difficult." Seeing Klaus paling with each detail, he added, "They are more of a child, a burden on their loved ones than anything else. In fact, I'd say they are almost a curse. Seeing the one you love so helpless, so unlike what they were, leaving those around them haunted by their memory, well, I wouldn't want to live like that."

"You're wrong."

"I beg your pardon?"

Klaus focused his eyes, which were alight with a new ferocity, onto the doctor. "I said you're wrong. She will wake up and she will continue to be the beacon of light in my life that she has always been. And you, mate, are going to do everything you can to help her. _That's _my decision."

And with that, Klaus stormed from the room.

* * *

A short time later Elijah had tracked his brother down and found him pacing in the hallway outside of Caroline's door.

"Brother, perhaps we should consider our options." Elijah had been contemplating how to approach his brother. He disliked how much the welfare of this woman affected his brother. His brother was broken and didn't need more heartache. Maybe the sooner he let the woman go, the better off he would be.

"Are you mad, Elijah? There is nothing else to consider. She _will _get better. She has to."

"You heard what the doctor said. He knows what he's talking about."

"No, I heard some cynical, overworked arsehole who doesn't know Caroline and doesn't care. I know her Elijah. She will be fine. She will make it through this. She wouldn't leave me like this."

"On the contrary brother-"

"No! If you can't understand that, then there is no 'we.' Right now I only want those around me that are going to support us."

"Niklaus, look at what this is doing to you. I will not stand by and watch you drive yourself mad over some girl you've known less than three years."

"Then leave, Elijah, it's what you're good at."

The pain struck Elijah hard, it had been a long time since the brothers had fought this bad. It had been a long time since the last fight they had that had struck such a blow.

* * *

_"What would you have had me do, Elijah? She was playing us!"_

_"No, Niklaus, she loved me. She told me so. You got inside her head. It's always you!"_

_"Always me? You'll believe that conniving twit over your own brother?"_

_"You're not my brother!"_

_Klaus stopped, his anger immediately froze and commuted into hurt. Elijah watched the fight leave his body as years of insecurity took over and destroyed his brother from the inside out. It was a low blow. Elijah knew it. Klaus knew it. And yet, Elijah had said it anyway, because he wanted Klaus to hurt. Elijah felt used and violated and he wanted his brother to hurt as much as he did._

_"No, I guess not. A real brother would never abandon their siblings. A real brother steps up to protect their brothers and sister. So, no, we aren't related." With that said, Klaus turned on his heel and walked out of Elijah's office._

_They didn't speak for over a year._

* * *

**So, so sorry for the wait! School ended, which was crazy, my brother graduated, we had family in town, we had some repairs to make on our house -_- and I have been assigned more hours at work because I'm now one of the people who can fit. And I had to rearrange my class schedule for next semester because they already cancelled one of my classes. And its been super hard to write with everything going on.**

**_Congratulations to LittleMissBrit (I tried to PM you but couldn't) who guessed which movie the line was from ("When Harry Met Sally"). And the line was "When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible." Harry says it at the end, so good call!_**

**Thanks for all the reviews and lovely feedback! We were up to 1.1% for reviews! If we could keep increasing that it would make me super happy! I like to know what people are thinking and feeling. Did I make you laugh or cry? Smile? Frown? Did Caroline not waking up frustrate you?**

**Trivia Question: What was the book Klaus was reading to Caroline at the beginning of the chapter? HINT: It was recently made into a movie.**


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